Spindle



F. G. KRAFT Sept. 4, 1934.

SPINDLE Filed Oct. 26, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 'l Sept. 4, 1934. I KRAFT I 1,972,150

' SPINDLE Filed Oct. 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. I

Patented Sept. 4, 1934 1 Frederick G. Kraft, Richmond, ya, a'ssigiior' "to .Du Pont RayonfCoinpanmNew York, N. Y.,' a

corporation ofDel'aware Application October 26,

6. Claims.

1. This' invention relates to th'e fluid treatment of materials. The invention alsorelates to seal ing means. More specifically the invention 'ree lates to the treatment of thread by liquids under 5 pressure. The inventien particularly relates to an apparatus for treatingrayon thread wound on bobbins with fluids under pressure and has specific'embodimentin a bobbin and cooperating spindle having a sealing means operated by fluid pressure. The invention will be describedwith particularrelation to the fluid'treatment'used in the manufacture of rayon, but it is to' be understood that ithas equal applicability to the fluid treatment of bobbin-carried thread of any kind.

ess the newly eoagmated thread is carried on bobbins. It is Considered desirable to treat these packages without removing the thread order to avoid damaging the thread. This is, accomplished by treating'fthe thread with fluids under ressure while on the bobbin.- 1

3. In the pressure treatment of artificial silk,

according to the method mentioned in paragraph 2, the silk is wound "on perforated bobbins which are mounted on washing spindles by clamping or screwing compressible gaskets against the ends of the bobbins. Fluids necessary to the treatment are then forced through the spindle, the perforations ofthe bobbins, and the thread. Difficulty is experienced when high pressure is used (that is, pressure of 40-5 0 pounds per square inch) by reason of leakage around, of blowing out 01 the gaskets; a wastefulamount of time is requii'ed to mount the bobbins on and to i'emove them from the spindles; thegaskets are subject to excessive wear and frequent re; placements; and in cases where there is 21. leaking gasket, the washing must be stoppeduntil the gasket can be replaced. K v

4. In thecepending application of PaulMarie disclosed one apparatus which overcomes many of the. diflieulties above described. Experience has shown, however, that when water is first tinned 1m iiithe rac -carrying .the bobbins the pressure may be lns'u fiicie'nt to expand all of the gaskets and great leakage may occur around the gaskets 'u'ntn pressure has. been built up. As a result. during the t me in which the pressure is being built up to that iequisitetoclose an t e gaskets, water may be s rayed past the'gasket's an over the mqm. "ljhe'tendency or the rubber gaskets to harden with age .increasesthisffault tithe Pierrat spinme. mrthermcire, after the 2. In the'r'iianufacture of rayon by one proce 1933', i-Serial tNo'. 695.286

yarn has been-treated, it is sometimes diflicult to remove a particular bobbin because a washer remains expanded.

5. An objectof this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for the fluid treatment 69 of thread carried. on'carriers or bobbins. An:- other object of theinvention is to overcome the diiiic'ulties inherent inthe Pierrat device. Another object of'the invention consists inthe constr'uction of awash'spindle which, b'y fluid pressure ,"sealsjthe ends of 'thebobb'ins and, by fluid ressur releases-the bobbin when the washing iscoinplete. A still furthe'r object of the invention consist's in the manufacture of a new and'improvedtype'of washingspindle. Other 'obliects 70 er the invention will be in part apparent and in part-deseribedelsewhere herein. j *6. Th'e'objects of the invention are ac com plished, generally speaking, by the "of a washingyapparatus having means, which are both collapsibleand expansibie, for sealing the ends of thebobbinfi p v 1 '7.' Inthe;d1 awings Figure 1 is a view partly insectibn of a washing apparatus made inacpoi'danee With'the principlesof my invention. 39 Eigure 2'is a sectional view similar to Figure 1 Fi ure 3 is a plan view of a washrack showing the p ffif fsure and vaeuum pumps. Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectionthrough the sleeve portion of thefappar'atus. Figure 5 is a cross section of the sleeve 'portionpi the apparatus. Figure 6 are viewsshowing; in section, the sealing ring.

8. Referring to the numerals orthe drawings, 1 is pipeiof. a wash rack. In practice a ber of thesejpipes are mounted invertcal imeinent; 11 isa verticalpipeforming the end pipe of; a washing rack; 12 is a vacuum pump; 13 is a pressure pump;- ;121 is a valve; 131 is a'vaiv'e; 122 is a pipe coiine'ting the pumps to the wash rack;

-2-refe'rs ingeneral'to abobbi'n woundwith thread. 95 1 9. When pressure less than atmospheric is wanted inth'e wash rack, the pump 13 is stopped, thesvalve-131 :is closed, valve 121 is opened, and pump 12 is started. If itis desired to forcea fluid into the rack, the. valve 121 is closedythe vacuum pump is stopped, valve 131 is opened. and pump i3 is connected t o,the proper'fluidand is star d...

l0. lis a netal bobbin having perforations and imperforate ends. In spinningasiscusterna y in this are. the thread. is wound about thepeifoi'ated part of the bobbin so as to overlap the imperforate ends. v ,111.13 awashspindle cennected, as by a serewifireadyto a pipe 1 of the wash r'ackj'il is a sleeve fitting over the spindle}, 32 are annuli near the ends of the slee've;'*33 are holes in the sleeve leading from the interior of the sleeve to the annuli; 34 are annular shoulders in the sleeve designed to fit fluid-tight against shoulders 341 of the spindle and 342 of the end piece; 35 are holes through the sleeve to permit the passage of fluid from the interior to theoutside of the sleeve; 36 is a rubber band fitting, in an annular depression provided therefor, over the holes 35; 311 are l grooves extending circumferentially of the sleeve;

312 are grooves extending longitudinally of the sleeve and intersecting grooves 311; 37 is an end.

piece for the spindle having annularshoulder 342 capable of making a fluid tight fit with shoulder 34 of the sleeve 38 are flexible, ring-shaped tubes; 381 are tubular projections in the tubes of a size to approximately fit the holes 33 of thesleeve. The'flexible annular tubes 38 are of a diameter in their normal condition slightly greater than the interior diameter of the bobbins whiclrare to be treated on thespindle.

12. The apparatus functions as follows: The

. wash rack is assembled in a manner which will suction pump; the rubberbands, which cover the holes35 in the sleeve, act as a valve preventing the ingress of air; the flexible tubes 38 collapse, as shown in Figure 1, and the bobbins can be easily slid intoplace. c i I 1 13. The vacuum pumpis now stopped; the valve 121 is closed; and thev valve 131 isopened.v The pressure within the wash rack is now equalized andthe tubes resume their normal shape. Being slightlyflarger than the interior, diameter ofIthe bobbin, they form a. seal which ,preventsjsuch fluid as may be forcedfinto the spindle by the pump 13 from leaking past the ends of the bobbin. The pump 13 is now started and forces fluid, for instancewash water, through, the pipe 122, rack 11, pipe 1, and into the interior of thejs'pindle. The spindle is provided with holes/39. through which the-fluid is forced. The sleeve 31 is somewhat larger in its interior diameter than the'portion of the 's'pindlewhich itcovers. As a consequence, the space'between the vs'pindleiand the sleeve is filled with the fluid, which passes through hole 35, forces its way, past the rubber bandvalve, and on. through the holes of the bobbin and throu h the rayon or otherthread which is carried on the bobbin, The fluid between the spindle and the sleeve also enters the holes 33 of the sleeve and fills the interior of the flexible tubes, as shown in Figure 2, forcing them. very tightly against the bobbin and forming apressure seal which" continues so long as the fluid is forced through the thread. When the treatment is finished, and the bobbin is to be withdrawn, the pressure pump is cut off from the rack, the vacuum pump is'tur'ned on, the'fluid' within the rack is removed, and the rings are collapsed so that the bobbin can be removed without difli- 14. Many modifications of'this, invention are possible, For instance, the tube may be of rub-' of theinventiqn is that the apparatus can be fined in the appended thread, a hollow perforated thread holder, a holconnecting the interior of the tubes perforations in the spindle;

spindle, means for reducing the pressure within the spindle belowith'e pressure outside the spinber or of any other suitable flexible material. The fluid forced through the system may be any gas or any liquid. The material treated may, be thread or'any other pervious material which can be held 011 the surface of a bobbin when there is pressure within. The method of filling and exhausting the rack is shown for illustrative purposes only. Many othersystems could be substituted for it.

' 15. An advantage of the invention is that a washing apparatus is provided which seals the "ends of the thread carrier before pressure is turned on from within, preventing the escape of fluid past the sealing rings. Another advantage 9O ea'silydismantle'd and cleaned. Another advan- I tage of the invention is in the saving of large quantities :oftreating fluids, compared to the Pierrat invention heretofore disclosed. Other advantages of the invention will be in part apparent and in partelsewhere herein described.v

16. As many apparently vvicflely different em: bodiments of this invention may ,be madew ith out departingfrom the spirit and scope; thereof, it is to be understood that I do. not limitmyself to the specific embodiments thereof except as de- Iclaim: U

.1. In an appaiatusffo'r 'thef fluid treatment of thread, a hollow perforated threadholder, f'a'hol- 1 05 low perforated spindle to c'arry'th'e thread'hold er, means for reducing the pressure withinthe spindle to be below the pressure'outside the spindle, means 01 forcing ,liquid "under pressure throughthe thread holder, and means for seal ing the ends of the thread holder comprising flexible tubes of slightly greaterdiameterthan the interior diameter of the thread holder encircling the spindle atpoints adjacent thethread'holder ends, meansconnecting'th'e interior of the tubes 1 15 with the interior ofthe spindle whereby the tubes may be collapsed or put 'under linterior pressure according to the pressure";existing within the spindle, and a flexible rubber band'covering the said perforations in the spindleftojpermitfluid to be forced through" the thread holder but closing the perforations of the spindle when the interior of the spindle is underreduced pressure.

' 2.'In anapparatus for the fluid'treatment of low perfo'ratedispindle' to carrythe threacl holder, means for reducing the pressure-within the spindle below the-pressure outsidethe spindle, means for forcing liquidu'nder pressure through the spindle andmeans for sealing the ends of the thread holder comprising flexible tubes 'ofslig'htly greater diameter than the interior diameter of the thread holder encircling the spindle at points adjacent the thread holder enii's,means .7 Wi terior of the spindle wherebythe interior pie'ssureof the spindle will tend-to change thesize of the tube, and flexible means covering thefsaid '3. In an apparatus ior the fluid f treatment of thread, a hollow perforated thr'eadhol'de'ri to car.-

ry the'thread holderajhollow spindlehaving'per forations closed by a on'e way', valve, which Loan be opened, outwardly by pressuregw ithinf 'the dle, means for forcing the liquid under pressure to the thread. holder tnroughfthe; spindle, and means forsealing the ends of "the thread holder comprising flexible tubes encircling the spindle' at {5 points adjacent the thread holder ends, means connecting the interior of the tube to the interior of the spindle whereby the size of the tube may tend to be changed by changing the pressure in the spindle.

4. In an apparatus for the fluid treatment of thread, a perforated thread holder, means for holding the thread holder and directing fluid thereto, means at each end of the holding means to seal the ends of the thread holder, means for collapsing the sealing means to permit serving the spindle, and fluid pressure means to press the sealing means against the thread holder during fluid treatment of the thread holder.

5. In an apparatus for the fluid treatment of thread, a perforated bobbin, means for holding and directing fluid to the bobbin, means at each member, and means for sealing the space between the members comprising a flexible ring on one said member and fluid pressure means for c01 lapsing and expanding the said ring, the circumference-of the said ring when collapsed being less than the adjacent circumference of the other member and the circumference of the said ring when expanded being such as to form sealing engagement under pressure with the said other member.

FREDERICK G. KRAFT. 

